Quick Answer
The 6 letter answer for the piscivorous (fish-eating) bird crossword clue is likely to be “cormor” or “cormorant”. Cormorants are water birds known for their ability to dive and catch fish.
More Detailed Answer
Crossword clues involving 6 letter piscivorous (fish-eating) birds often point to “cormorant” as the answer. Here are some reasons why:
- Cormorant is 6 letters long
- Cormorants are highly effective fish-eating birds found worldwide near water bodies
- The word “cormorant” fits well for a crossword due to the mix of common and uncommon letters
- “Pelican” is another 6 letter water bird but pelicans are not exclusively piscivorous
- Other 6 letter piscivorous birds like “egret” and “heron” are not as strongly associated with fish-eating
So in summary, the 6 letter piscivorous bird answer you are likely looking for is “cormorant”. Let’s take a closer look at some key facts about cormorants:
Facts about Cormorants
- There are around 40 different species of cormorants found throughout the world
- They are medium-to-large sized water birds with mainly black or dark colored feathers
- Cormorants have a characteristic body shape with a long neck, hooked bill, and short legs set far back on the body
- They are expert swimmers and divers, using their feet to propel themselves underwater
- Cormorants have waterproof feathers allowing them to dive deep
- When diving for fish, cormorants can reach depths of up to 45 feet (14 m)
- They are voracious piscivores, eating anything from small fry to larger fish depending on the species
- Cormorants often nest colonially and are found along coasts, lakes, rivers and wetlands
- Some species like the double-crested cormorant have flourished by adapting to human environmental changes
- In some areas, cormorants are viewed as competitors by human fishermen
The diverse family of cormorants are found on every continent except Antarctica and are well known for their fishing skills. Their adaptability, fish-focused diet and habitat near water make them a prime candidate for the answer to 6 letter piscivorous bird crossword clues.
Other Potential 6 Letter Answers
While “cormorant” is the most likely 6 letter response for piscivorous bird crossword clues, here are a few other possibilities that could potentially fit:
Pelican
Pelicans are large water birds with very large, elastic throat pouches that they use to scoop up and store fish. While they eat some aquatic amphibians and crustaceans, pelicans are strongly piscivorous and could potentially match a 6 letter “fish-eating bird” clue. However, pelicans also eat other types of prey, so cormorant is generally a better fit.
Booby
Boobies are seabirds that get their name from their clumsy land movements, not their physical appearance. They are excellent divers, plunging into the ocean at high speeds to catch fish. Boobies fit the 6 letter piscivorous clue but “booby” would be less likely used in a crossword than “cormorant”.
Osprey
Sometimes called sea hawks or fish eagles, ospreys are majestic raptors found worldwide near any large body of water. They specialize in catching fish often by spectacular diving maneuvers. While osprey eats almost exclusively fish, its crossword usage is not as common as cormorant.
Others
Some other less likely 6 letter piscivorous birds are “auklet”, “puffin”, “gannet”, and “anhinga”. While they eat lots of fish, these species are not primarily associated with fishing in the way cormorants are.
Why Cormorants are Ideal for Crosswords
Beyond fitting the 6 letter requirement, cormorants have other attributes that make them particularly well-suited for crossword puzzle answers involving fishing birds:
Starts with a “C”
Having a relatively uncommon starting letter in the word “cormorant” makes it ideal for crosswords. “C” narrows down possible placements in the grid while still allowing the flexibility needed for a good puzzle.
Includes “M” and “R”
The inclusion of less common letters like “M” and “R” enables the constructor to intersect “cormorant” with words containing those letters. This assists in meeting the interlinking requirements of a crossword grid.
Has a unique ending
The unusual trailing “ant” ending means the word can be more easily clued since few other options share that ending pattern. The symmetry also allows for letter balance in the grid.
Works as noun or adjective
“Cormorant” functions well in a crossword both as a standalone noun referring to the actual bird and as an adjective describing the bird’s characteristics (a “cormorant appetite”). This duality gives constructors flexibility in cluing options.
Distinct meaning
The specificity of meaning as an exclusively piscivorous bird makes “cormorant” link clearly to fish-eating clues without additional qualification needed. This enables straightforward cluing shorthand.
Statistics on Cormorant Fishing Habits
Here are some statistics on how productively cormorants fill their piscivorous role:
Cormorant Species | Fish Caught per Day |
---|---|
Great cormorant | 450g or 1 pound |
Japanese cormorant | 6-7 pounds |
White-breasted cormorant | 500-600g or 1.1-1.3 pounds |
Yellow-faced cormorant | Approximately 500g or 1 pound |
As this data indicates, most cormorant species consume on average about a pound of fish per day. Cormorants in some areas have been documented catching multiple pounds per day during prime feeding. Their specialized skills and anatomy allow them to be prolific fishers.
Of course, the specific amount of fish caught depends on the size, age and species of cormorant as well as environmental factors. But combined with their distribution across habitats worldwide, cormorants collectively represent a major predatory force in global aquatic ecosystems.
Conclusion
In summary, the six letter answer to crossword clues involving a piscivorous bird will very likely be “cormorant”. As expert diving birds that feed almost exclusively on fish, cormorants perfectly match the requirements for a “fish-eating bird” in just six letters. The composition of the word also makes it very suitable for crossword use based on starting letter, interior letter patterns, and ending. So when you encounter 6 letter piscivorous bird clues in your next crossword puzzle, remember to think C-O-R-M-O-R-A-N-T!